New Stepping Stones Playgroup

A studio for movement and an outdoor kitchen gave New Stepping Stones Playgroup a practical, active character in June 2023. Children danced, tackled obstacle courses and experimented with ingredients outdoors. These were spaces for doing things, with physical activity and conversation built into play.

Ofsted rated the playgroup Good at its inspection on 23 June 2023. Based at Former Sea Scout Hall in London, it has capacity for 30 children aged 30 to 60 months.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning and care: play supports language, movement, understanding and growing independence.

In June 2023, the studio supported climbing, balancing, yoga and dance. Outdoors, children combined herbs, water and oranges in the outdoor kitchen, choosing utensils and adjusting their mixtures. That connected imaginative play with practical decisions about quantities.

In June 2023, growing potatoes and herbs in the garden helped children explore where food comes from. Conversations over fruit snacks brought that learning into everyday eating: staff discussed children's preferences and how different foods contribute to a balanced diet. The garden gave those conversations a concrete starting point, linking something children had grown with something they could eat.

Number activities used interlocking cubes for counting and adding another, alongside games about recognising numbers. The cubes made quantities tangible, so children could handle the objects they were counting. In the reading area, adults asked questions about stories and explained unfamiliar vocabulary, including a word encountered in a story about a ladybird. Books therefore provided opportunities to discuss meaning as well as listen. Learning moved between physical exploration, conversation and more structured activities.

There was an important limitation. In June 2023, adults sometimes kept planned activities too firmly on their intended course, reducing children's opportunities to direct play and tackle problems themselves.

At the June 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, the key-person arrangements successful in helping children feel secure, and SEND support inclusive, with intervention groups and cooperation with other professionals.

In June 2023, familiar routines included group discussions, shared meals and tidying away bowls and cups. Children practised serving themselves with tongs and choosing clothing for the weather. These small responsibilities gave independence a practical place in the day: eating and outdoor play involved decisions children could make themselves.

Circle times also involved listening to other children and offering praise. Adults encouraged a calm mood, while reminders about kindness connected behaviour expectations with how children treated one another. Sharing a meal with staff and friends added another regular opportunity to spend time together. This account of care rests on everyday habits as well as organised activities, with children taking part in the work of looking after themselves and their shared space.

Communication with families in June 2023 included children's learning targets and preparation for their next stage, including school. Parents could understand what staff were working towards rather than receiving only an account of activities. Staff knew children and their families, and planned experiences around clear learning intentions. That gave the conversations a practical subject: what a child was learning and what came next.

Safety arrangements in June 2023 included daily checks for risks across the playgroup and procedures for recording accidents and incidents. Staff understood routes for raising concerns about a child or an allegation involving a colleague. Safeguarding discussions and attendance at forums formed part of keeping their knowledge current. These were arrangements described at that inspection, rather than a description of today's staff practice.

The address is Former Sea Scout Hall, Alder Road, London SW14 8ER. Opening hours are 8.45am to 2pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; the playgroup closes for school holidays.

In June 2023, the playgroup offered funded early education for children aged three and four years. That describes its provision at that date.

• Child-led learning. The June 2023 improvement point concerned opportunities for children to pursue their own ideas. During a visit, ask how staff now adapt an activity when a child takes it in another direction.
• Term-time rhythm. The playgroup closes during school holidays and finishes at 2pm. Families need care arrangements that fit that timetable.

New Stepping Stones Playgroup suits families seeking term-time care with an early afternoon finish. Its June 2023 picture combined active play, practical independence and close relationships. The main educational question is how much freedom children now have to shape activities themselves.